South Western Railway first to transfer into public ownership next year – TSSA comment

Rail union TSSA has welcomed today’s announcement by the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, that South Western Railway, c2c and Greater Anglia will all be brought into public ownership next year.

TSSA has long campaigned for railways to be brought into the public sector, warning that privatisation was wasting taxpayer money and leading to an erosion of service.

South Western will be the first railway to be transferred into the public sector, in May 2025, with c2c following in July and Greater Anglia in the autumn.

TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said, “This is an historic moment for the rail industry, marking the beginning of the end for the Tories’ failed privatisation experiment.

“The move will mean better value for taxpayers and better services for rail passengers. It recognizes that railways should be run as a public service rather than as a cash cow for shareholders.

“We welcome the Labour Government’s recognition of the expertise and experience that railway staff – our members – possess are crucial to the changes they want to see in the sector. We look forward to working with them to deliver the 21^st century railway that Britains’ workers deserve.” 

ENDS

Notes – TSSA is an independent trade union for the transport and travel industries. We have thousands of members right across the UK and Ireland, working for the railways and associated companies, as well as ferries, bus services and the travel trade.